I think Yarran tried to go to Varcoe in the thrid quarter to try and shake the tag of Stokes. Unfortunatley it cost us three goals and in the end was a big contributor in us losing this game.

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You heard it here first!

have woken up this morning feeling like i played. i am bloody exhausted!!


as many have stated we have kreuzer, henderson, curnow, houla that will be pressing for selection in the coming weeks and guys like white, joseph and lucas who are all there abouts and should keep pressure on guys in the current team to keep performing. bower is the unknown. i am confident after last night that we will account for melbourne, port ,lions, sydney, eagles and the tigers in the next 6 weeks & put as in a strong position to challenge for top 4 going into the last 8 weeks which are much tougher.

But 5 "moments" can...

1) Dominate the 1st quarter to have Brock McLean overstep the mark to gift a goal and the Cats are away (I think they kick the next 6 goals of the game)
2) 2nd quarter, deep in defence. Murphy tries a cute pass from the back pocket (degree of dificulty 9.5), too risky and doesn't pay off.
3) More undisciplined play in front of goal. Stokes is no Warnock and kicks truly from 10m.
4) 3 minutes to go, 60m out from goal Sentanta instead of booting the ball deep into the forward line, again tries to be cute and run around the man on the mark. He fails to do so, turnover, cats go coast to coast.
5) Warnock fails to execute the most basic skill in our game

Four of the five moments are a result of poor decision making and lack of discipline that needs to change if we are to challenge teams in the top 4.

Also, there were 2 - 3 goals that were kicked because our defensive structures failed and the Cats were able to create an overlap and basically run the ball from our forward line to theirs. Ratts and the coaches need to look at the circumstances so that we can adjust to them.

No questioning the heart from the guys last night but if individually and as a team, we can be smarter and more disciplined (oh and kick more goals than behinds), we will match it with the best of them.

- Twinone

Armfield started on Varcoe - he got two on him then Yarren moved to him

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

What about Laidler running through the middle with Carrotts 30 meters in the clear about 35 from goal and he kicks to a contest at the top of the square

Or Setanta 40 out in the pocket no one near him carrots looks at him and kicks to a 3 on 2

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Rubbish. Varcoe had opponent. They were on top of us at that time with the Blues not winning as much contested ball. Ratts would have instructed us to win the contested ball. Varcoe played well and got loose for match winning goals.
THere are enough eyes on the game from the box. Brown would have been all over what was happening in the back half but our players at that point were not good enough.

[/quote] Agree 100% bring in Hampson next week, Warnock should be made to pay for missing a set shot like that when the game was on the line![/quote]

No this is not what is going to happen nor what should happen.

Ottens can destroy teams. How much of an influence did he have last night? Robby did a very fine job on him. He is a much better ruckman than Hampson and you don't punish a kid who has less than 50 games for a miss kick he took after just coping an almighty puch to the head.

I know we all were hoping Warnock would stay down. I was like Rocky's trainer from the first movie begging for him to stay down but he didn't. We played well enough to win and I would prefer to see us take it out on Melbourne than our up and coming stars.

Good point skadoosh.

Still evident to me tha this is a problem. It was worse last year but we still allow easy opportunities to the opposition because we commit too many players forward and then the opposition can take it through the middle with ease. Our defenders are then put under enormous pressure, often relying on a brilliant run down from Laidler or someone else to stop a score. Geelong had 27 scores from 46 inside 50s which is an indication of the ease in which they scored once inside 50. How often did they win the ball at our HF line and we would not touch it until a point/goal.

This comes back to having no genuine second tall forward; it will continue to be an issue until Henderson can regain some form. Come on Hendo. We started well in regards to marking at HF but in the second half their defence took control. Our only option was bomb it long to Warnock/Waite in the square. We will struggle to be successful with Setanta as the second tall forward.

Overall I thought we dominated ground ball/contested possessions and should have won the game but an inability to mark enough inside 50 (12 marks from 56 I50, most of them in the first quarter) really limits how much we can score. We rely on so many opportunistic goals which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but in very tight games are those crumbing goals going to be there?

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Warnock form has been down for the last month. He is good with the centre hitouts but not doing much outside of that. He is not marking around the ground or even getting his hands on any. He is no longer a good kick for goal either.

Id look to giving Hampson a go in first ruck. However, if the MC are convinced that Robbie is that important to us at the stoppages and that he has a big effect on our gameplan then i will trust them if they decide to stick with Warnock.

Spot on guys.

Waitey was fantastic last night but he and the team needs more tall marking and physical support up forward. Hendo and Mitchell are crucial to our future premiership window prospects .

Robbie and Hammer are both very talented but immature IMO, Robbie probably moreso. It's just gunna take time, patience and encouragement until they both mentally grow up.

On what I saw last night there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't feel confident against any team on the G in Setember, all things being equal.

It was a fantastic effort, just a few moments of immaturity and wastefulness which cost us. I didn't think we would truly contend until next year, but we showed last night we can get anyone if the chips fall our way.

Terrific effort from the lads - I ahve to say that 6-7 minutes into the third, in a previous year we would ahve fallen away. This team is different.

I was at the game, haven't seen the replay yet, but one thing stands out above all others - this team is completely locked in and playing like a team. The focus they have on the ground is outstanding. Truly, we ahve no passengers. Some players might be in better form than others at any given time, but they are all on the same page. First time in a long time I think we can say that.

Keep going lads - in its own way next week is just as important as this week. Can they get themselves up for a 'lesser' team? This is the next stage in our development.

Yep, we was good.

Still unhappy about too many long bombs to the goal area, but maybe, just maybe some of the guy's forgot the drill.

It did seem, from the telly at least, that at certain times in the game (mainly near the end of quarters) our guy's did not back themselves enough to impose themselves on the game. Against the Swans and the Saints it was the opposite, everytime it got tough, our guy's showed enough belief to demand the ball and not care about making mistakes. Last night I just think we lost a little of that.

The bye maybe?

I'm looking forward to the return of Krooz, Hoops etc, but we have to believe we can win without them, and last night I thought we were easily the better side.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

I thought Warnock was very good early in the square, but around the ground his hitouts are less decisive because of the crowd of players. Do his hitouts outweigh his meagre possessions? Actually I don't think he is that far ahead of Hammer. Better palmer but Hammer is improving. Neither takes a mark but Hammer is stronger. Robbie is looking tired. He has been pretty good but as a first ruckman not sure Hammer would be far behind. Neither are forwards. Not strong enough over head and not agile enough when it hits the deck.

Can't believe anyone wants Ellard and Robbo out. We need desperation and grunt inside, and a bit of the mad dog. I would see Big K as a full forward, give him time to ease back into the ruck. Setanta has almost games where he does a lot of good things and a few bad. In the last his tap to Judd for the Simmo goal was excellent and he was probably involved in 5 of our 14 goals. His mark and run around Hawkins was an almost moment. Just didn't get on to the kick. He should have grabbed the mark up forward deep in the last from a scrubby Judd kick.

Juddy, injured, did some magic in the last.

Tuohy should get a gig next week ahead of Armfield.

I am not sure we want to upset our balance of running players and key marking players. I think the extra running player we are going with at the moment is helping us run out games and playing over the top of teams in the last minutes of games. The balance is also important to us with our forward pressure/press.
I think big K could be the answer. If he comes in for Carlos in a few weeks time he will provide more in marking contests and as a forward presence.

Not sure what i would do with Henda. Hopefully he finds really good form making it impossible not to have him in the team.

yeh, that was the one - definately a goal

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one you knock back is one you never have

Was it just me or were the channel 7 camera angles so F**** annoying last night?

In the 'Premiership Window' thread..most thought we wouldn't get rolling till 2012..and no chance of top 4 this year.
Now we seem mostly to think we are a good chance.
That's great..and hopefully will happen...
but..lets not lose sight of how far we have come, and how well we are doing when we lose by a smidge.
Rather, why not celebrate that we are ahead..maybe well ahead of many people's expectations..celebrate how we no longer roll over, andhow bloody tough and resiliant our players are becoming.
yes it hurts that a more experienced player might have known to 'stay down' where Robbie bravely,and green in the gills got up.
You don't rag on that ..surely!
it hurts to lose in such a battle of a game..but I'm so proud of our team.
Go boys.
You will go a long way this year.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

He did actually. It was Armfield. Poor work by the player, not the coaches fault.

To me Warnock is getting tired but because we don't have a geniune ruckman to truly help him he is doing most it and is exhausted by the end. Yes, not in good form and certaintly not taking enough marks but his ruckwork and contests are good. O'hAilpin is not adding much and again a disappointing game up forward. Hampson & Henderson are must in's for us. Bower for Thornton as well and we will be much better.